A backpacking trip to the Grand Canyon was an annual tradition for us for 6 years starting in 2013 — we’ve written about permitting and preparing for these various routes in the past. But in 2018 E went back to school for her Ph.D., which meant that the favorable travel seasons of spring and fall would present a conflict with school. We finally returned in 2021.
As a mule deer, this is among the parks I really enjoy visiting because I am right at home with my fellow hoofed brethren — other deer, elk, and big horn sheep. No one raises an eyebrow when I saunter past. They just think I am part of the mix of wildlife, having no way of knowing they are actually standing eye-to-shoulder with a cosmopolitan, well-traveled buck.
With several Grand Canyon routes already under our belts, we opted for a counterclockwise loop going down the Hermit Trail (which we had partly hiked in the past) and up the Boucher Trail (which was totally new to us). We were pleased to have done it in this direction, as the unmaintained Boucher Trail has some steep drop-offs and several hazardous sections that have been reclaimed by erosion and rockfalls. We admit to a few spots along the Boucher giving us the heebie-jeebies — not something we have experienced on any other Grand Canyon backpacks. These iffy sections would have been more nerve-wracking and dangerous going down rather than up, and we were thus glad to be doing the loop counterclockwise (especially because E+J lack the advantages I have as a quadruped).
We spent the first night at Hermit Creek, about 8 miles and nearly 4,000 feet below the rim trailhead. Here, we explored remnants of a luxury camp area developed early in the twentieth century by the Santa Fe Railroad and legendary “hermit” Louis Boucher. This below-the-rim destination ran successfully for a couple of decades, until its upriver neighbor Phantom Ranch was built, introducing a rivaling destination for adventure seekers. Hermit Creek Camp eventually went bankrupt and all amenities — multiple buildings and a tramway from the rim — were burned down by the proprietor to put a decisive end to this chapter in the Canyon’s history. It is nevertheless a lovely destination to visit and remnants of the long-gone improvements make for good exploring. Hermit Creek provides a refreshing respite in the heat, with several natural pools and a beautiful gorge of polished rock. From camp, where there was one other party staying that night, a bush-whacking path leads down to Hermit Rapids. Here we enjoyed our dinner as the sun set. On our hike back to camp we were treated to a surprise sighting of an egret catching a snack along Hermit Creek. A mutual startle and this graceful snow-white bird took off into the night.
On day two we took the Tonto Trail, which loses and gains little elevation here as it does elsewhere along its many dozens of miles, but is wilder in this western section of the park than in the other portions of the Tonto we had traveled previously. It was hot — in upper 90s — and we were very glad to have lightweight hiking umbrellas along to provide our own shade on this largely shadeless route. The Tonto meanders in and out of canyon drainages, occasionally affording beautiful views of the Colorado River and its rapids. Our destination that night was Boucher Creek, a smaller water body than Hermit but a welcome destination nonetheless. To reach the creek requires a descent of several hundred vertical feet along a rough trail. We had the place to ourselves, save for the critters who call this place home. We once again hiked down to the rapids to cook and enjoy our dinner. The route required less bush-whacking than Hermit. Once at the rapid, the beach area and several interesting rock formations make for a pleasant place to linger — and besides, it was interesting to visit two very different rapids two days in a row.
On day three, we awoke at 4:30am to hit the trail early and make the long ascent back to the rim before the worst heat of the day. Remember the earlier mention of the heebie-jeebies and the disadvantages of being a mere biped? Today would be the day we lived that reality, and here I admit that even my four-legged sure-footedness left my knees occasionally weak. Unlike my distant cousins, the big horn sheep and the mountain goats, I am not an advanced climber and I know my limits when it comes to steep terrain. There were several portions of the Boucher Trail that called for extra attention and careful footwork. This, combined with the hot temperatures, made for a slow-going hike out, but it also made our high fives at the top all the sweeter.
Helpful info sheets are available through NPS for the Hermit Trail and Boucher Trail. See our route on CalTopo.
Days: 3 (May 11 - 13, 2021)
Mileage: 30.8 mi. (including 3 mi. r/t to Hermit Rapids and 3 mi. r/t Boucher Rapids)
Elevation: Hermit trailhead 6,640'; Colorado River at Boucher Rapids 2,400'.
Camp locations: Hermit Creek Camp (use area BM7); Boucher Creek (use are BN9).
